Grand Rapids commissioner ends meeting shouting at bus union activist

Updated Oct 25, 2017; Posted Oct 25, 2017

Supporters of The Rapid's bus driver and mechanics union demonstrate in front of city hall Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. The union has been without a contract for two years, and The Rapid is seeking a tax renewal Nov. 7. (Amy Biolchini | MLive.com)(Amy Biolchini | MLive.com)

That came after the same union activist made comments one city commissioner deemed "disrespectful" to the mayor.

The exchange between Third Ward Commissioner Senita Lenear and Louis DeShane, a bus driver for The Rapid and activist for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 836, was swiftly ended as Mayor Rosalynn Bliss intervened and gaveled the meeting closed.

The tense moment comes as the union is still without a contract after two years of stalwart negotiations, and the fate of The Rapid's operational millage could hang in the balance: voters will be asked to approve a 12-year tax renewal for the bus system Nov. 7.

Before the city commission meeting Tuesday, Democratic candidate for the 77th district seat in the state House Robert Van Kirk organized a small demonstration in front of city hall calling for a fair union contract. The Kent County Democratic Party, which is typically pro-transit, hasn't endorsed The Rapid tax issue.

"I'm for public transit; public transit is essential - especially if we want to have good living conditions, good working conditions in the metro Grand Rapids area," Van Kirk said. "We cannot have one without the other. You have to have good public transit and you have to have working conditions that are good and pay that is equitable."

For Van Kirk, that means "no contract, no vote," he said.

After the commission finished its business items in half an hour Tuesday, Oct. 24, the final two and a half hours of the meeting were filled with 56 people speaking to the commissioners during public comment.

Most speakers expressed their support for the drivers and mechanics of Rapid buses who have been without a contract for two years, urging Bliss - who sits on The Rapid's oversight board - to approve a "fair" contract.

"The tax renewal is at risk for large part due to the lack of support by The Rapid for the workers," said Riley Wilson, a Grand Rapids Public School student who said many of his peers need Rapid buses to get to school.

Among the speakers was DeShane, who started his comments by addressing the mayor directly.

"Mayor, it looks like you survived Labor Day pretty good," DeShane said. "No bruises or scrapes."

DeShane was referencing the Labor Day Bridge Walk earlier this year in which Rapid union supporters walked in front of Bliss as she was beginning to address the crowd, according to media reports.

At the end of the meeting two commissioners directly addressed DeShane's comments to the mayor.

"There seemed to be some laughter at the mention of our mayor being assaulted, bruised or battered at a recent public event," Second Ward Commissioner Joe Jones said. "I myself don't find that at all funny - there's nothing at all humorous about a woman having hands laid on her."